Personality and Leadership as Dispatcher Retention Tools

For over thirty years rapid technological advances,§combined with increases in population and demographic§shifts, have been among drivers of growth in 9-1-1§telecommunicator occupations. In the past decade,§dispatcher retention has been further exacerbated by§rapid telecommunication advancements, dynamic§environmental stressors, and high-technology§occupational opportunities. These change factors§have resulted in an increased emphasis on E 9-1-1§staffing issues; they have created a need for§employee retention strategies This case study§examined relationships between personality and§retention of 9-1-1 emergency telecommunicators. The§study evaluates linkages between individual§characteristics, contextual performance, servant§leadership, and person-job fit, as related to§dispatcher retention. Findings indicate significant§relationships do exist between personality and§employee retention, person-job fit, contextual§performance, and servant leadership traits expressed§as contextual performance in the sites examined. §Further, findings of this study provide a sound case§for on-going investigation of relationships between§personality, Servant Leadership, and dispatcher§retention.